To the surprise of no one, Sony’s big-budget Spider-Man title for the PlayStation 4 has become a tremendous success, breaking all sorts of records for the console and standing alongside the Batman Arkham series as one of the best licensed games of all time (not that it’s a hard accolade to reach considering the decades of depressingly mediocre titles, which date back all the way to Atari’s E.T. adaptation, which was so infamously terrible that unsold copies were dumped into a landfill near New Mexico). That success is also well deserved, as the game has also received unanimous praise from both critics and longtime fans of the world-renowned web-slinger, with many going so far as to call it the best adaptation of Spider-Man in any medium.
Developer Insomniac was working with full expectations in mind, which is why the game is chock-full of teasers, Easter eggs, unresolved plot points and all sorts of other breadcrumbs that hungry fans would flock towards with their own theories into how it all ties together. That includes lists like this one, which take some of the biggest mysteries that the game has to offer and analyze them with a fine-toothed comb. Will any of these lead into the inevitable sequel, or are they just fun little nods to decades of Spider-Man stories (and Marvel comics in general)? As a famous little girl once asked: “Why not both?”
Needless to say, expect plenty of spoilers in this article, including the ending, so proceed with caution if you haven’t played the game to completion.
25 Is Harry Osborn Venom?
The biggest teaser was naturally saved for the very end, with a final post-credits stinger that has become a tradition with all of Marvel films. For this game, there is a brief shot of Harry Osborn floating silently inside a massive test tube while surrounded by some very familiar-looking black goo.
The Venom symbiote has taken over countless characters in the Marvel universe, but this would be the first time that Peter’s best friend would end up as the alien costume’s host. It’s an interesting concept that many fans will undoubtedly be waiting to see in the already-confirmed sequel.
24 Will Norman Osborn Become The Green Goblin?
Many of Spider-Man’s established characters have different roles in this game than they normally had in other medium. Among the more unique role shifts is Norman Osborn as the mayor of New York, though the prestigious position hasn’t stopped him from possessing all manner of secret schemes.
The big question is whether Norman will go full Halloween with his iconic Green Goblin costume. The hints are definitely there, including a few prototype gadgets and weapons that are instantly familiar found in his secret lab.
23 Will Miles Become A Sidekick Or A Replacement?
Miles Morales is really moving up in the world of Spider-Man’s cross media, including the starring role of the upcoming CGI film Into the Spider-Verse. By the end of this game, it’s obvious enough that Miles will be wearing his own high-tech web-slinging suit alongside Peter Parker.
But will Miles’ rise to superhero stardom put him in a dual leading role, or just a sidekick standing at the reserves? The comics have put him at both roles, but his first appearance in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man is still the most memorable. If the game does decide to follow that origin story, however….
22 Will Spider-Man Perish?
Miles’ appearance (and superhero transformation) in this game speaks volumes on where the story could potentially go, including a conceivably more tragic path based on the comics. In Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, Miles rises as the new, exclusive Spider-Man following Peter Parker’s tragic fall against his deadliest foes, including the Green Goblin.
It may seem ludicrous for Insomniac to take out its lead star, but Spidey barely scrapped by the first game after sustaining numerous injuries, and some of the most revered games in history have been known to flip players’ expectations by changing playable characters between games.
21 Where Are The Avengers?
The city of New York is recreated lovingly in this game, though one massive, instantly recognizable structure can be seen in the distance: Avengers Tower, the main headquarters of the epic superhero team, which is the largest building in the entire game and host to a few Trophy objectives to boot.
But where are Iron Man and friends during the city’s big crisis? A throwaway line from Spidey suggests that they’ve moved East, a reference to the East Coast Avengers. It’s a convenient explanation, but an actual appearance in a future game would still be a welcome bit of fanservice.
20 Will Doc Ock Reveal Spidey’s Identity?
By the end of the game, Doctor Octopus was stripped of his mechanical arms and, most likely, his dignity. But what the mad scientist didn’t lose was the knowledge of Spider-Man’s true identity, Peter Parker. Naturally, such information could prove devastating should Doc Ock decide to spill the beans to his greatest foes.
But will he take advantage of this secret? His expression at the end of the game suggests that the formally good doctor is quite cross with Spider-Man putting him behind bars, so it remains to be seen if he will go through with his revenge scheme in the sequel.
19 Will Doc Ock Cure Vulture’s Disease?
When Doctor Octopus freed five of Spider-Man’s deadliest foes, he was able to sway them over to his side by promising each of them a specific reward. This includes removing Rhino from his suit, curing Scorpion’s massive debts, and turning Electro into pure energy.
But the one villain with the highest stakes would be The Vulture, who is dealing with spinal cancer due to his own meddling with super science. With Doc Ock now imprisoned, it’s unlikely he will make good with any of his promises, which leaves Vulture’s fate in the sequel all but uncertain.
18 Where Is Daredevil?
There are all sorts of winks and nods to other superheroes in this game, including Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Dr Strange and others. Naturally, this includes Daredevil, New York’s other red-colored crime fighter, who also masquerades as blind lawyer Matt Murdock.
But while the Avengers have been conveniently written out of the conflict, where is Daredevil during the big police raid over his archenemy The Kingpin? Anyone who has watched the Netflix series knows full well the history between the hero and villain, which makes Daredevil’s no-show during Wilson Fisk’s big bust particularly perplexing.
17 Did Spider-Man Own The Symbiote?
There are all sorts of extra suits to unlock, but one notable piece of legacy garb is sorely missing: the black Symbiote suit, which was once owned by Spider-Man. This naturally begs the question: did Spider-Man own the black goo before it seemingly passed over to Harry?
The only hint is a throwaway joke, where Yuri asks him if he owns a “black and white suit”, which results in a tongue-tied Parker hesitating to respond. Perhaps one of the upcoming DLC missions will shed light on this mystery.
16 Did Eddie Brock Own The Symbiote?
Speaking of the Symbiote, if it did turn out that Spidey had originally owned the alien suit, what are the odds it could have also passed over to Eddie Brock, just as it did in the original comics?
In another case of “blink and you’ll miss it”, Eddie Brock’s name does come up among the names of Daily Bugle employees who send Peter a farewell card following his departure from the publication. While the Symbiote seems currently bound to Harry, there is still a chance it will find its way to its most iconic owner sooner or later.
15 Does Mephisto Exist?
Those who remember the much maligned One More Day comic storyline recall how Peter made a deal with Mephisto to spare the life of Aunt May, at the exchange of his marriage with Mary Jane (yes, it’s every bit as stupid as it sounds). With Aunt May having passed at the end of the game, jaded fans can’t help but wonder if the demonic wish-granter will show up to offer a similar. Most likely not, but a joking reference would be cathartic for many.
14 Who Is Controlling The Demons?
The Demons are a group of gun-toting gangsters that work for the super villain Mister Negative, though not by choice. It turns out that every member is brainwashed by the villain’s powers, which bring about the worst emotional traits to the forefront.
Many of the indoctrinated enemies have been freed from his control, but it is suggested that there is still a large faction left that are trying to seize control of the city from Wilson Fisk’s group. With Negative no longer around to give orders, what is the end goal of these last remnants?
13 Who Made Spider-Man’s Suits?
Peter Parker is a scientific genius who has managed to create all sorts of crime-fighting gadgets, including Spidey suits. However, it is also a known fact that Peter is borderline broke, lacking even the money to pay for his rent.
So where is he getting the money for all his wonderful toys? In the opening cinematic, there are several post-it notes suggesting that two of Marvel’s biggest geniuses, Tony Stark and Reed Richards, may have helped supply Peter with his snazzy tech. Makes sense, considering how Peter received his first couple of suits from Stark in the MCU films.
12 Do Grand Theft Auto IV And Spider-Man Share The Same Universe?
Many obsessive fans, particularly those who make YouTube videos, like to try and find the loose threads connecting every video game to one another under the assumption that they all take place in one insane universe.
Spider-Man plays with this idea by including a throwaway line that suggests the characters from Grand Theft Auto IV exist in the same world, planning heists as usual. By all accounts this is just a joking Easter Egg that isn’t meant to be taken seriously, but it won’t stop the game theorists from making clickbait-focused videos and lists about it. Wait a minute…
11 Will Silver Sable Switch Sides?
The silver-haired, silver-garbed…okay, pretty much silver-everything mercenary was a thorn on Spider-Man’s side for most of the game. Having been on the exclusive payroll of Norman Osborn to keep New York crime-free, Sable and her trigger-happy agents did more harm than good with their indiscriminate chokehold tactics.
But by the end of the game, Sable herself has a change of heart after witnessing Spider-Man’s courageous resolve to protect people, even someone as corrupt as Norman Osborn. This causes her to distance herself from her own group and implies that she may return as an ally for Spider-Man rather than an adversary.
10 Are Spider-Man’s Origins The Same?
As mentioned before, the characters in this game have very different roles than what they normally have in most of Spidey’s adaptations: Mary Jane is a reporter for the Daily Bugle, Aunt May runs a homeless shelter, Peter is an intern for Otto Octavius, and so on.
Does this mean that Spider-Man’s very origins might be different? All we know is that he was bitten by a radioactive spider, same as always, but any other details are left ambiguous. At least it’s a bit more information than how he acquired his powers in the MCU.
9 Is Morgan Michaels Michael Morbius?
Doctor Morgan Michaels is a key character in the game’s storyline, being the lead scientist who developed Devil’s Breath, the deadly virus that is later used to infect the people of New York (and Peter’s own Aunt May).
But longtime fans will instantly recognize Morgan Michaels as the alias of Michael Morbius, also known as Morbius the Living Vampire. Yet another mainstay Marvel character, the scientist-turned-vampire has had many dealings with Spider-Man as well as Blade (yes, the same Blade immortalized by Wesley Snipes back in the day).
8 Where Is The Chameleon?
Longtime fans will recognize The Chameleon as one of Spider-Man’s most frustrating recurring foes. The master of disguise has often tarnished the wall crawler’s already-shaky public image by committing crimes while wearing his costume. Hard to prove one’s innocence when they’re a vigilante that hides their face, after all.
A comedic side-quest where a Spider-Man impersonator goes around fighting crooks has Spider-Man name-drop The Chameleon, which establishes that the deceitful doppelganger does exist in this game’s world. This opens the possibility for future fake-outs, depending on how creatively the dev team may make use of Chameleon in the sequel.
7 Did A Spider Bite Mary Jane?
After sneaking her way out of Norman Osborn’s secret lab, Mary Jane found herself escaping with one of Norman’s experimental spiders perched on her shoulder. The same spider is later shown biting Miles (and getting squished for the trouble), turning the boy into the second spider-powered superhero.
But is he really the second? It does seem odd that Mary Jane was able to spend that much time unaware of the huge radioactive bug on her shoulder, and even more ludicrous that it didn’t decide to chomp down on her. Perhaps this could be a big reveal in the next sequel.
6 Will There Be Clones?
Before One More Day, The Clone Saga was infamously known as the worst Spider-Man storyline of all time. Despite Marvel’s own admittance of the poorly-planned story, the Saga still gets referenced here and there.
In the same side quest involving the Spider-Man impersonator, Spidey makes a comment that he wonders if a clone is involved. An easily dismissive in-joke, but the game also makes mention about Miles Warren, aka The Jackal, the villain responsible for the creation of the clones. If they decide to go this route in the game, hopefully it will prove a more interesting (and less convoluted) storyline.
